{"product_id":"2018-chateau-haut-brion-blanc","title":"2018 Château Haut Brion Blanc","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 Château Haut-Brion Blanc is one of Bordeaux’s most coveted dry white wines, produced in tiny quantities and renowned for its depth, elegance, and remarkable age-worthiness. In this vintage, the blend reaches a historic high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc, giving a vibrant, chiselled profile wrapped in Haut-Brion’s signature refinement. As the white counterpart to one of Bordeaux’s legendary Premier Cru estates, this wine marries centuries of tradition with meticulous modern craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the glass, the 2018 Château Haut-Brion Blanc is bright and luminous, typically pale straw to light gold, with a youthful sheen that hints at its freshness and future evolution. The nose opens slowly and benefits from air, moving from initial restraint to an intricate bouquet of lemon zest, fresh grapefruit, green mango and yuzu. With time, more subtle layers emerge: wet river stones, flint, orange blossom, lime leaf and a delicate saline note reminiscent of oyster shell.\n\nOn the palate, this is medium to full-bodied with a satin-like texture that glides across the tongue. Intense citrus and stone-fruit flavours—grapefruit, lime, white peach—interweave with mineral notes and a fine, almost smoky tension from the terroir. The acidity is crisp yet perfectly integrated, giving lift and definition without sharpness. The finish is long, layered and persistent, leaving impressions of citrus oil, crushed stones and delicate florals. While already impressive, the wine is still in its youth and will benefit from several years of cellaring; it is recommended to wait around 4 years from the vintage and enjoy it over the subsequent 15 years or more, as complexity and nuance continue to build.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 2018 Château Haut-Brion Blanc hails from the gravelly soils of Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux, where deep layers of gravel mixed with sand and clay over a well-drained subsoil are ideal for producing concentrated, mineral-driven whites. The estate’s white vines are planted at relatively low yields and carefully managed through the growing season, with rigorous green harvesting and hand-picking to ensure only perfectly ripe, healthy grapes make it into the final blend. In 2018, the wine is composed of 80.6% Sauvignon Blanc and 19.4% Sémillon—the highest proportion of Sauvignon Blanc ever used for this cuvée—enhancing aromatic precision and freshness. After harvest, the grapes are gently pressed, and the must is typically fermented in oak barrels, followed by ageing on fine lees with bâtonnage (lees stirring) as appropriate to build texture and complexity, always under the tight control of the château’s winemaking team to preserve the purity, balance and tension that define Haut-Brion Blanc.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood \u0026amp; Serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a gastronomic white wine that shines with fine cuisine. Its citrus, stone fruit and mineral profile makes it a superb match for seafood—think oysters, scallops, turbot, lobster, or langoustines, especially when prepared with beurre blanc, citrus beurre monté or delicate herb sauces. It also pairs beautifully with grilled or roast poultry, veal in cream sauces, refined vegetable dishes (asparagus, artichoke, fennel) and aged goat’s cheese or Comté. Serve slightly chilled, ideally around 10–12°C (50–54°F), to allow the aromatics to fully express themselves without muting the complexity. In its youth, decanting for 30–60 minutes is recommended to help the wine open up, while older bottles should be handled more gently, with minimal aeration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChâteau Haut-Brion is one of Bordeaux’s most storied estates and the only property from outside the Médoc included among the original 1855 Premier Crus. Located in Pessac, just outside Bordeaux city, it is widely regarded as the region’s most historic grand cru, with documented acclaim for its wines dating back to the 17th century, when it was praised in London’s coffee houses and by influential writers. The estate entered a new era in 1935 when it was purchased by American banker Clarence Dillon, whose family invested heavily in vineyard renewal and modernisation of the cellars, including being among the first top châteaux to embrace stainless steel fermentation in 1960. Today, under the Domaine Clarence Dillon umbrella (which also owns Château La Mission Haut-Brion), the estate stands as a benchmark for both red and white Bordeaux, consistently producing wines of profound finesse, complexity and longevity that are revered by collectors and critics worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Château Haut Brion","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54255152595281,"sku":"GCW-MMUI-1800002","price":1095.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0874\/0614\/9969\/files\/haut_brion_blanc.png?v=1783456735","url":"https:\/\/bottlehero.com\/products\/2018-chateau-haut-brion-blanc","provider":"Bottle Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}